My Cousin, The Vampire
by Vulcan Wolf
Summary: Amber Cullen: British teen soccer star, cousin to the beautiful, strange Cullens of Forks, WA. She comes to Forks when her mother's health declines, and it's decided that she had better stay with her cousins. This is her story. Jasper/OC, Jacob/OC later.
1. Coming to America

Chapter One

Amber Cullen had never possessed what might be considered a _normal _family, she had never considered her family _normal_, but she had seen truly dysfunctional families and always thanked her lucky stars she didn't have one of those to contend with. She did have some odd cousins, but every family had that one strange branch off the ol' family tree. Hers happened to share her last name. At the rare family reunion that the Carlisle Cullens happened to attend, Amber was always mistaken for one of that clan and not her own smaller clan of five. They only mistook her as one of Carlisle's children because her eyes were the same shocking shade of topaz/gold and her skin the same porcelain pale. The only problem was that they never seemed to age and Amber, like any human with a normal mortal lifespan, aged at a fairly general rate of speed. It was one thing to have older cousins, quite another to have older cousins who never seemed to _get _any older. She had fond memories of her cousins from childhood, among her most favorite were memories of her cousin Emmett, who always seemed so _huge_. Amber had loved nothing more than climbing her bearish cousin like a giant human tree, especially if Emmett was on his knees and she could climb up his back. Sometimes he would get down on his knees, tell Amber to grab hold of his arm, then stand up and let her hang five feet off the ground. Alice had always been her second favorite cousin, she liked modern art and second-hand clothes almost as much as Amber.

But never had Amber considered she would ever end up _living _with her eternally youthful cousins, until her mother fell ill and the doctors diagnosed ovarian cancer when she was seventeen years old. Arrangements were promptly made to send Amber to the United States to live with her cousins for an indeterminate amount of time.

"Uncle Carlisle?" she asked again, as though that made it any less of a reality, "Why can't I stay with Grand Mary or Aunt Beth?"

"Grand Mary lives in a retirement home now and Aunt Beth has six children to look after." Her father scolded as he rifled through her closet for clothes to pack, "Besides, I thought you loved them?"

"I _do_, but…I don't want to be an imposition."

"You won't be any such thing. They already know you're coming and Esme called this morning, they're absolutely _thrilled_." He tossed out several pairs of blue-jeans and a handful of tops, which she sorted through before adding them to her luggage. She was taking everything she owned, or at least what could fit into a backpack, a small suitcase, a medium-sized roller, and a large duffel. The rest would be shipped as she needed it. The phone rang as she was fighting with the zipper of the roller suitcase, and she kicked aside a stack of tee-shirts and boxers in her haste, rolling half off the bed to grab the phone. The screen showed **Cullen** followed by the phone-number. She answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Amber."

"Uncle Carlisle!" she almost fell off the bed as she tried to see her alarm-clock. It was almost five o'clock in the afternoon, her flight left in two hours. She arched an eyebrow and did some quick math in her head, "You do realize it's midnight in your time-zone?"

"I wasn't sleeping and thought I'd call my niece."

"Thanks, Uncle Carlisle. We're almost ready to leave over here."

"Good. I'll have the boys pick you up at the airport."

"Oh, no, I can easily take a cab. Don't bother coming to get me." she hated to think of them going to all that trouble to pick her up at the airport, especially since her flight got in at ten in the morning.

"It is no hardship of ours, Amber." Carlisle promised. Amber's dad was tapping his watch, time to go. She frowned.

"I've got to go, Uncle Carlisle, I'll see you when I get to Forks."

"We'll be here, kid. Safe flight."

"Thanks." She smiled sadly and hung up, finished packing, and loaded her bags into the trunk of a cab. She said goodbye to her siblings and promised to call her mother from the airport. Then it was off to leave her whole familiar life behind.

* * *

The drive to Heathrow seemed to go far too quickly, and the cabbie got her a trolley for her luggage so she wouldn't have to figure out how to drag everything to the ticketing counter. Getting her boarding pass and checking two of her four bags was easy and quickly accomplished. The ticketing agent wished her a pleasant flight and she trekked her way through Heathrow's security checkpoint. Once clear of security, she slipped on her shoes and headed for the tram that would take her to her terminal. She dug out her cell-phone and checked for power. She had enough to make one call. Grimacing, she hit 5 and waited.

"St. James Center for Cancer, this is Roger. How may I direct your call?" a nasally voice answered her call and she frowned.

"Room 104, please."

"Right away, ma'am."

"Thank you." She exhaled slowly and leaned against the wall of the tram as it pulled away from the station. Finally, the line was picked up again.

"Hello?" it was her mother's nurse, Vickie. Amber looked out the window as the walls of the tunnel flashed past.

"Vickie, it's Amber. Is my mom awake?"

"Oh, hi, darling! Yes, she's right here!" Vickie sounded far too cheerful to Amber, "We've been waiting to hear from you."

"Sorry to keep you waiting." She muttered as the phone was handed off to her mother.

"Berry?"

"Hey, mom! You sound great!" she tried to sound cheerful, her mom really _did _sound good, better than she had in months, "I'm at the airport, if I loose you its because I'm on the tram."

"Oh so you made it safely?"

"Yep. I'll call again from Washington if it's not too late, you need to sleep more."

"Oh don't bother with that, darling! I'd love to hear your voice! And do give Carlisle and Esme my love, won't you?"

"Of course I will." she smiled, "I will also thank them for putting up with me for so long."

"It was very good of them to take you up like that, so you be good for them."

"I will, I will. I promise." She studied her fingernails, "I think I'm about to loose power, so I'll hang up."

"Alright, sweetie. Be safe."

"Bye, mom. Love." She hung up the phone, turned it off to save her battery, and tucked it into her pocket. When the tram reached her stop, she scooped up her other carry-on and headed for the stairs leading up to the concourse. From there she headed for her gate, but not before stopping in one of the souveiner shops to pick up gifts for her cousins. She bought sweat-shirts for the boys, buying extra-extra-large for Emmett, a paper-weight for Uncle Carlisle, and gift-sets of soaps for Aunt Esme, Rosalie, and Alice. After making her purchases, she tucked them into her backpack and went in search of a bookstore. After purchasing a book to read during the flight, she got something to eat and went to her gate to sit until her flight was called.

* * *

Parking herself along the wall of glass looking out over the runway, she plugged in her phone to power it up before the flight, and dug out her iPod and headphones. sticking the buds in her ears, she settled on a mix-list and hit "shuffle songs". The Beatles filled her ears as she cracked open her new book and ate. Her phone rang again and she picked it up. Same number as before. She rolled her eyes and answered.

"Hello?"

"Cousin!"

"Oh, hi, Emmett." She had to smile.

"Your favorite color is red, right?"

"Yes, and you already knew that."

"Ju-ust double-checking."

"Oh, Emmett, you didn't _buy _me something, did you?" she could only imagine a few reasons her cousins would have to know her favorite color and none of them were easily swallowed.

"Just a little homewarming present. Nothing big."

"For some reason I don't believe you, but that's okay." She tried to imagine what they might have bought for her, "Is it something I can use?"

"Yes."

"Every day?"

"Yes."

"Emmett, stop talking or you'll ruin the surprise!" Alice called in the background. Amber laughed.

"Okay, okay. I'll stop asking questions. I bought you something, too."

"Ooh, goodie. I like presents."

"I just hope it fits." She wrinkled her nose, "You wear 2-X, right?"

"I do, I do."

"Excellent! So, who's coming to pick me up?"

"My most excellent self, _of course_."

"Of course. And?"

"Edward's coming along, naturally, and Alice."

"Sounds like a party." She looked over her shoulder, "I haven't even left the airport and I'm already homesick."

"Aaww, don't be sad, Berry. We'll take good care of you, I promise."

"Thanks, Emmett." She sniffled and leaned her head against the cool glass, "What's the weather like out there?"

"Cold, rainy, and wet."

"The usual. My kind of weather." She smiled sadly and closed her eyes.

"Brighten up, Moody Blues, it's a new beginning! Nothing bad about that!"

"I'm sorry, Emmett, how could I _ever _be sad when you're around to make me smile?"

"I'm flattered."

"You're weird, that's what." Amber sighed, "Well, I guess the next time I talk to you it'll be face to face, huh?"

"Sure will be. Be happy, cousin!"  
"I'll try, Emmett, I really will."

"Promise? I don't want you comin' off that plane all moody and gray."

"Yes, I _promise_, you impossible creature."

"I _lo-ove _you, Berry!"

"I love you to, Grizz. See you in Seattle."

"Hey, that rhymed!"

"You're right."

"Bye, cuz." Emmett signed off with a flourish, he always did. Amber turned off her phone and cupped her hands under her chin. Checking her watch, she figured she had fifteen minutes left until boarding and decided now was a good time to hit the bathroom before a nine-hour flight took her from England to America. Taking all of her stuff, she headed for the bathroom and used the sink to brush her teeth and wash her face. Amber also gave herself a critical once-over. For the purposes of comfort on the nine-hour flight ahead of her, Amber had settled on a pair of well-loved Moonshine jeans from French Connection, her Ugg Kohala slide-ins, and a white baby-doll tee screen-printed with the Union Jack layered over a red crew-neck shell. She had a white hoodie with her school emblem and name if she got cold. Leaving the bathroom, she got into line for boarding. When she finally reached the front of the line and handed the stewardess her boarding pass, she boarded the plane with a sense of relief and sadness. Amber found her seat and stuffed one bag into the overhead and kicked her backpack under the seat in front of her as she sat down. After lift-off and they had reached cruising altitude, Amber ate supper, flicked through her playlists to a mix Edward had made her for, turned up the volume, adjusted the angle of her seat-back, and slept for most of the flight.


	2. Arrival and The Cousins

A little editing has been done. I changed the car Amber recieves as a homecoming gift from an Aston Martin to an Infiniti G37 coupe. That should make for happiness all around.

* * *

Chapter Two

When the plane landed in Seattle, Amber was a little groggy due to going backwards by nine hours, but she felt well-rested and functional. That turned out to be a very good thing, because the first thing to greet her as she staggered off the plane was a noisy chorus of "Berry!" from the other side of the gate. Startled, she caught herself before she tripped over her own feet and looked up sharply to see her cousins standing there, waving.

"Eddie! Alice!" hefting her bag, she scrambled across the gate, "Where's Emmett?"

"Bringing the car. He's going to meet us by the baggage-claim." Edward took her suitcase, and she didn't stop him. She smirked as they reached the carousel serving her flight and waited for her bags to drift past. Amber stood at ease, arms folded loosely across her chest, humming along to Johhny Flynn's "The Box" when she was suddenly seized around the waist from behind and flipped very neatly over Emmett Cullen's shoulder. She reacted with a short-lived yelp and landed quite safely on her feet.

"_What _just happened?" she peeked over her shoulder at her cousins, who were beside themselves.

"Did I scare ya?" Emmett beamed like an idiot, so proud of himself for catching his attentive cousin off-guard. She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Emmett, you scared me, and half the people around us. Well done."

"I live to amuse."

"Don't you mean amaze?" She eyed him warily as he lifted her two checked bags easily onto his shoulders.

"Both."

"You're a strange creature, Emmett Cullen."

"Oh, not human?"

"Not you, no." She wrinkled her nose and followed her cousins out to the parking-lot. She was about to head to short-term parking, but Emmett grabbed her by the sleeve.

"Oh, no, you and I go _this _way." he steered her towards the passenger pick-up lane.

"Wait a minute, didn't you park?"

"You'll see. These," he handed her a set of keys, "are yours."

"Car keys? Why on earth did you give me…" she stopped dead in her tracks as she caught sight of the red Infiniti G37 parked at the head of the line, "Oh…my…"

"You're welcome." Emmett sounded so pleased with himself. When she didn't move, he elbowed her in the back and she broke into a sprint, skidding around to the left side, the driver's side. This was her home-coming "gift".

"This is _mine_? Oh my god!"

"Do you like it?"

"I don't like it, I _love _it!" she got in and got used to the touch and feel of driving this kind of car without going anywhere, "When you said you'd bought me something, I never imagined a car like _this_! This is awesome, I love it!" Edward and Alice got into the silver Volvo behind her, laughing at her reaction to the car.

"Wanna see how she handles?" Emmett tossed her stuff into the backseat and got into the passenger's seat.

"Yeah I do, but first, I have to call somebody."

"I can do that, you drive." Emmett peeked over his shoulder as she keyed the ignition and listened as the G37 purred to life.

_I think I just died and went to heaven. _She thought wistfully as she pulled out and headed for the exit. Emmett asked for her phone and did something to it.

"What are you _doing_?" she asked, glancing at him sideways.

"Who do you want to call?"

"What time is…hmm." she hadnt adjusted her watch yet and it still showed the time in London, "She might be awake." She narrowed her eyes as she thought about her mom, "Dial 5 and hold it."

"Can do." Emmett did as she told him and also set up her iPod to play through the sound-system in the car. Her phone rang through, and she heard it on a loudspeaker. It rang four times before it was picked up.

"St. James Center for Cancer, this is Jessica. How may I direct your call?"

"Room 104, please."

"Right away, ma'am."

"Thank you." She looked at Emmett as she was put on hold, "What did you do to my phone?"

"Bluetooth."

"Cool." She checked her speed and set cruise-control.

"Hello?" Vickie answered. Amber smirked

"Hey, Vickie, it's Amber again. Is my mom awake?"

"Oh, hi, darling! Yes, she's right here!"

"Who's Vickie?"

"Mom's nurse."

"Oh."

"Berry?"

"Hey, mom! Sorry if I woke you up!" she looked at Emmett, who was bobbing his head to the beat of her music, "I'm just leaving the airport in Seattle."

"Oh so you made it safely?"

"Yep. I've got Emmett in the car with me. Would you like to say hi?"

"That would be lovely!"

"Hey, Aunt Georgia! You sound awesome!" Emmett looked so goofy as he smiled.

"It's good to hear your voice, Emmett. Tell your parents I said hello and I'm sorry I can't visit."

"Naw, they know you're sick. Dad's just sorry he can't do more for you."

"Thank him, then." Her mother sounded a little sleepy, but Amber knew they hadn't woken her up at all.

"Hey, Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Can you tell Dad I made it safely?"

"Of course,"

"Thanks. I know it's late over there, so we'll let you get some rest."

"It was good to hear your voice, and I'm so glad you made it safely. Don't be a stranger."

"Unlikely, Mom. Love." she had Emmett hang up the call and sighed.

"Your mom sounds real good."

"She's not getting any better though. I didn't want to leave, just in case."

"Hey, if that happens, we'll _all _go back with you." Emmett grew serious and reached over, taking her hand.

"Thanks, Emmett." She smiled gratefully.

* * *

The G37's GPS guidance system got them safely home, and Amber headed inside when Edward and Emmett told her not to worry about her stuff. She took her small suitcase, the one with the gifts, and her backpack.

"Hello?" she called out as she kicked off her shoes.

"Amber! How was your flight?" Carlisle appeared at the top of the stairs with Esme.

"_Long_. I slept for most of it, though. Nice to see no change in the weather." she waved out the window to the pouring rain, "Just like home."

"That's what we're hoping for. How's your mom?"

"About the same as she was the last time you called before I left." She set her stuff down, "Tough lady."

"Good. And how was the drive?" Esme's smile was wicked and Amber looked out at the G37, which Emmett was covering with a special cover.

"It was an experience. You did _not _have to buy me a car."

"Yes we did." Jasper called from the den where he was watching baseball.

"No, you didn't, but thank you. I plan on enjoying it." She dug into her suitcase, "Nothing on the scale of a car, but I did some souveniere shopping before I left."

"Oh, Amber." Esme shook her head as she dug out their gifts.

"Oh, it _smells_ good!" Rosalie caught her gift as Amber tossed it to her halfway up the stairs, "What is it?"

"Soap. Emmett, yours." she launched the 2-X sweatshirt backwards over her head, "Edward, yours."

"Sweet."

"And Jasper."

"Ni-ice."

"Aunt Esme, Alice, for you." she gave them the two soap-sets, to great thanks. Digging out the paper-weight, she trotted up the stairs, "And I'm not going to throw this one. This is for you, Uncle Carlisle. Something for your desk."

"Thank you, Amber." Carlisle unwrapped his present, a snow-globe music-box with a miniature of Westminster Abbey inside.

"I figured you might have some use for that."

"Plenty." Carlisle smiled and vanished to put it somewhere safe.

"Are you hungry, Amber?"

"Tired."

"After a nine-hour flight on a plane full of noisy people, I can understand. Edward, show Amber her room." Esme shooed her away and she followed her cousin upstairs. She got the guest-room, and set about making herself at home. After hanging her clothes in the closet and putting her socks and underwear in the drawers, she checked the time, stuck her head out the door, and asked Alice to wake her in two hours. Changing into sweats, she crawled into bed and yanked the comforter over her head, asleep the instant she hit the pillow.

* * *

Edward Cullen closed the door to the guest room as quietly as he'd opened it and backed away. Amber Cullen was out cold, and would probably need a lot more than two hours to recover from the flight from London. She wasn't homesick so much as she was worried about her mom. And considering how Georgia Cullen's health had declined in the past year he wasn't surprised.

"Is she asleep?" Alice had come up behind him.

"Give her more than the two hours she asked for, she's not admitting how tired she is."

"Of course not, she doesn't want to be rude." Alice smiled, "But she'll be happy here."

"Did _you _see something?"

"Nothing I'm going to tell _you_ right away." Alice's smile grew mysterious and Edward narrowed his eyes.

"I really hate it when you do that."

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"No you don't." Alice kissed him on the cheek and danced away. Edward watched her go and wondered why Alice had to be so mysterious sometimes.

* * *

Amber slept nearly four hours undisturbed, and when she stirred, it was four o'clock in the afternoon. Yawning, she rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom down the hall. She didn't look half-bad, so she braided her hair and washed her face before venturing downstairs. The smell of food guided her into the kitchen.

"Smells like home." she peeked around the corner to find her aunt cooking.

"You gave us an excuse to use the kitchen." Esme smiled, "I tried to remember what you liked at home and did my best." Amber sniffed the air and smiled.

"I think you nailed it, Aunt Esme." She wandered over to the cooking-range and inhaled. Yep, it was going to be good. Fried bread, tomatoes, and bacon. Her roller was full of food from home packed into boxes stuffed with packing-peanuts, her one instistance if she was leaving home at all.

"Did Dad send you a recipe or something?" she nibbled on a piece of toast with two tomatoes.

"He did take that liberty."

"I thought he might have." she smiled, "Now I'm home."

"Did you sleep well?" Carlisle asked as he slid a cup of tea across the counter, "Edward says you slept four hours."

"I slept very well, thanks. Ah, yes. Cream tea." She hopped up on the counter and looked out the window as she ate a late lunch/breakfast. She was munching on a strip of bacon when a roar from downstairs startled her. She looked over her shoulder, "What was that?"

"The boys are watching TV."

"That's an awful lot of noise they're making." Wandering downstairs, she found them watching baseball, the traditional American past-time.

"Sit down, Berry! Enjoy!" Emmett moved over to make room for her on the couch. She settled in and watched the game with her cousins, enjoying their enthusiastic outbursts when one of the players missed a perfect pitch or swung at a bad one, or if they struck out completely. When it was over, Alice grabbed her by the hand and pulled.

"Since the game's over, _we're _going out!"

"Going _where_?" Edward looked at his sister, "She just got here a few hours ago, Al, give her a few minutes to get her head straight."

"She had four hours." Alice snubbed her brother and pushed Amber upstairs. Amber stretched on her tiptoes and trotted to her room to get clean clothes.

"I assume we're going out to supplement my pitiful wardrobe?"

"Good girl." Alice beamed and left her to take a shower and get dressed again. Once she was ready, she grabbed a denim jacket and her purse and ran downstairs. Alice was already in the G37, so Amber climbed in and they set off.

"Where are we going?"

"Seattle."

* * *

Once they reached Seattle, they spent hours in the mall shopping for a new wardrobe.

"It's a good thing you didn't bring a lot of stuff, huh?" Alice asked as they tried on clothes.

"You know I could have just borrowed from you or taken what you _don't _wear."

"But this is so much more _fun_." Alice scolded. With purchases in hand, they left the store and continued their wanderings. As they passed a sporting goods store, Amber stopped dead in her tracks.

"Alice?"

"Do you want to go in there?"

"Please? I brought my gear but I need some new cleats."

"Sure." Alice waved her into the store and she almost ran inside. Amber walked out fifteen minutes later with a brand-new ball and a new pair of cleats. As they wandered the mall, Amber couldn't help but notice how many times heads turned in double-takes when she passed.

"They keep staring." She whispered as they passed a cluster of boys, all of whom turned. Alice smirked.

"You're attractive."

"Not _that_ attractive." Amber rolled her eyes. She had never considered herself particularly pretty and always wondered why boys looked at her the way they did. Alice just linked arms with her and they continued their shopping venture until they had enough to satisfy her cousin's taste. She left the mall with new football gear and more clothes than she personally thought she would ever need in Forks. But she kept that to herself.


	3. Lady Spartan, Union Jack

Chapter Three

When Monday came at last, Amber quickly developed a fan-base and following and all her cousins could do was stand back, watch, and laugh as the boys opened doors for her, carried her books for her, and pulled out chairs for her in classrooms. The girls wanted to know all about what it was like to live in England. At the end of the day, Amber wandered back to the gym to do homework and watch basketball practice. She was considering running for the team, but she wanted to see them in action first. The Lady Spartans weren't a half-bad team, but it was hard to watch and not play. Sportsmanship was in her blood. The coach, a gruff but good-hearted man with a blessedly full head of dark hair graying at the temples, saw her watching with what had to be a achingly wistful expression and waved to her from the court.

"Cullen!"

"Me, sir?"

"Well, you're the only one sitting up there! Come on, I've watched you for fifteen minutes. You want to play?"

"Play? Practice?"

"Just for the hell of it. Come on down, I think I've got a spare uniform sitting around in my office." He smiled and waved her down. She packed up and trotted off the bleachers. The girls whispered and giggled, only a few looked resentful. As she followed the coach to the offices, he put an arm around her shoulders, "So, you play sports, huh?"  
"Mostly f-soccer." She hated having to use that word since _her _term meant something else entirely here in America.

"European football."

"Yeah."

"You look the sort. Come on, let's see how well you can pass a ball with your _hands_." he led her into the office and went to a locker, pulling out a neatly-folded uniform, "I knew I had this sitting around. I keep a few extras handy for all occasions. Try it for size and hit the courts."

"Thank you, sir." she took the uniform, complete with shoes, and retreated to the girl's locker-room. Once there, she stripped out of her street-clothes and changed into the uniform. A line of backpacks adorned a series of hooks on the wall and an open locker invited her to put her street-clothes away for the moment. She hung her backpack, put her clothes and purse in the locker, locked it with the attached key, and clipped the key to her backpack before returning to the court. The coach blew his whistle to get their attention and once again put an arm around her shoulders.

"Alright, ladies, listen up! We've got us a hopeful. This is Amber Cullen, I'm sure most of you know her by now. She'll be practicing with us as a sort of trial-run. If it works out, she'll be one of us, a Lady Spartan. Can you girls help her feel welcome? She's a long way from home." The girls nodded and one of them tossed her the ball with a smirk.

"Come on, U.J. Let's see how you pass with your hands."

"Barker, no name-calling."

"I don't think that was an insult, sir." Amber smiled at the girl named Barker, "Or if it was, it was the nicest insult."

"Oh, I like her." One of the girls whispered, not Barker, "I think she'll be just fine." The coach blew his whistle and Amber literally dove headfirst into the practice. It made her laugh that the girls called her U.J., short for Union Jack. There were several worse names they could have chosen to call her on her first day, U.J. was somewhere at the bottom of that list. When the practice ended two hours later, Amber was dead on her feet but she'd never been so happy. The boy's team had been practicing at the same time and she got an escort back to her car after she had changed back into her street-clothes. Mike Newton offered to take her out to the now-empty parking-lot. As they came around the cafeteria, she saw a shadowed figure sitting on the hood of the G37 and frowned.

"Oh, for god's sake! Edward!"

"Cousin?"

"Yes. Thank you, Michael."

"No problem. See you tomorrow?"

"Of course. Good night!" she broke into a trot, waving over her shoulder. As she reached the G37, Edward hopped off and opened the door for her.

"So? How'd it go?"

"Coach wants to see me at lunch tomorrow."

"Berry, that's great! You made the team?"

"Apparently I was good enough for the Lady Spartans basketball team. It's spring I can't wait for." She smiled wickedly as he got in on the other side. Once he was in, she keyed the ignition and drove home.

"Good, you have something to keep you busy outside of classwork."

"I think I needed something to do, otherwise I'd go yonkers with worry." She glared out the windshield, "Mom would laugh her head off if she knew."

"You'll have to call and tell her, then."

"Tomorrow, it's a bit late." She rubbed the back of her neck. Edward told her to pull over and switch places with him. She wasn't about to argue and let him drive home. Naturally the rest of the family wanted to know how her first day had gone, and Alice asked about basketball.

"Basketball?" Esme and Carlisle looked at each other.

"Amber tried out for the Lady Spartans." Alice beamed, "She's gonna play sixth-man for a while before she gets bumped up the roster."

"Nothing like having a cousin who can see your future." Emmett whispered, nudging her most gently in the ribs.

"Tell me about it." She looked at her male cousins, "You play basketball for fun, right?"

"Yeah."

"Wanna help?"

"Practice shots? Sure! And football too if you're interested." Jasper wiggled his eyebrows and Amber just smirked. Esme had fixed enough food for three people, so Amber ate well for dinner and the rest was put away for leftovers.

* * *

After doing homework for a few hours in front of the TV, Amber headed off to bed. After brushing her teeth and finishing her routine, she called her mom.

"How was your first day?"

"It was…fun." she smiled, "I think I'll get used to Forks."

"What happened? We want to know _everything_!"  
"Well, I'm a celebrity over here."

"Because of MU?"

"Yeah. It's funny. Alice and I went to the mall in Seattle yesterday and one of the store-clerks recognized me and asked for my autograph."

"Oh, Berry! You're joking!"

"No, I'm not. And at school?" she chuckled, "Mom, you should see these Yankee boys. I don't open any doors for myself, I never have to carry my own books, and I feel like I should get lost just to see if someone asks if I need directions."

"_That _was fast. What did cousin Alice say?"  
"Nothing about boys…_yet_." She wrinkled her nose and looked at the door, "Give her a few weeks."

"Give _them_ a few weeks." Her mom snickered, "So? What else?"  
"Oh, what else can I tell you?" she scratched her nose and looked up as her door opened and Edward stuck his head in.

"Everything you haven't told me already."

"What haven't I told you?" she smirked as she watched Edward.

"Basketball." he mouthed, "Tell her about the basketball team." She shook her head no.

"Then I will." He whispered, reaching for her phone.

"No! No, no, _no_! Edward!" she shrieked, falling off the bed in an attempt to escape her cousin's lightening-fast grasp.

"Berry, what's going on?"

"Nothing! Ow!" she would have kicked her cousin if it would have helped, "Edward's trying to steal my phone!"

"Give me the phone, it's not going to kill anyone!"

"No! My phone, my call, and you're _not _telling her!"

"Telling me what?"

"Busted."

"I hate you."

"Give me the phone."

"Forget it. Get out, out, out, shoo." She shoved uselessly against her cousin, who reached out and plucked the phone from her hand.

"Not happening, cuz."

"Don't you _dare_!" She lunged at her cousin and might as well have tackled a brick wall. It was a good thing her phone was on loudspeaker.

"Edward, what are you doing to my daughter?"

"Nothing permanent, Aunt Georgia." Edward shrugged her off as she tried to get the phone away from him, "She's just mad because she doesn't want it to be common knowledge that she's run for the Lady Spartans here in Forks."

"For what?"

"Basketball, Mom. The basketball team." Amber sat on the floor and glared at Edward, hating him for stealing her phone and telling out of turn.

"Oh, Berry! That's wonderful. Did you make it?"

"I don't know yet, but I have to see the coach at lunch tomorrow. Alice says I'll play sixth-man."

"Well, that doesn't sound _too _bad. And it gives you something to do!"

"I'll run for the girl's football in the spring, naturally."

"That's good. Well, I know it's late over there and you've had a long day. I'll call again tomorrow." her mom sounded happy, "Sleep well, Amber."

"I'll try, Mom."

"And be good for your cousins."

"I will be."

"Good night, sweetie."

"Good night, Mom."

"Good night, Aunt Georgia." Edward ended the call and hung up.

"Edward, if you weren't dead already, I'd kill you."

"Why? She's happy, is that bad?"

"_No_! But I didn't want to tell her until I was absolutely certain I'd made the team!" she climbed back onto the bed and sat against the wall, hugging her knees.

"You _will_, Alice said so." Edward set her phone on the bedstand and sat next to her.

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. Don't get all upset, your mom isn't mad at all."

"Idiot, that's because she doesn't want me to worry about _her_!"

"I know."

"I _hate _it when you do that." she glared at him, "I wish you wouldn't do that, Edward."

"I can't help it."

"Yes you can, you just don't like to."

"Well, put it this way." He put an arm around her, "If I can't read your mind I can't take care of you."

"I don't need a babysitter, I'm seventeen years old."

"It's not babysitting." Edward hugged her, read her thoughts, and looked at her, "What's wrong?"

"You _know _what's wrong, nosy vampire."

"I do know, but I want you to say it…out loud."

"I miss Mom." She hugged her knees, "I wish I hadn't called her, it only makes me sad because I don't know if it's the last time I'll talk to her or if I'll get another chance." Edward said nothing, he didn't have to. A quiet tap on the door heralded Jasper's arrival, for which Amber was incredibly grateful. She didn't feel like crying over a simple phone-call, and Jasper's cold hug drove away most of her sadness. He was good at that kind of stuff, and she needed that right now. Exhausted from her first day in a new school, it wasn't long before she fell asleep with Edward on one side and Jasper on the other.

* * *

Edward Cullen watched his cousin sleep and looked over her shoulder at his brother. Jasper was enthralled, watching Amber's every minute twitch. Her heartbeat had slowed down a great deal since he'd come in, and Edward ran his hand down her back, smiling at the little shiver that drove her into Jasper's arms where it was certainly no warmer.

"What is she thinking?" Jasper whispered. Edward smiled and shook his head.

"She's not thinking, she's not even dreaming yet. I don't know if she will, she's so tired."  
"Jet-lag's a bitch, ain't it?"

"Especially for Amber. Going forward's not so bad, going backwards will get you every time." He shrugged, "She needs to be here, though, as much as she says she should be at home with her family."

"It's better for her." Jasper stroked Amber's cheek and Edward saw the protective gleam in his eye that only showed itself if Alice was in trouble or something was wrong outside the family circle. He just nodded and they shared watch. He left before dawn, but Jasper stayed with Amber. Going down to the living room, he went to his piano and sat down. It wasn't long before a song came to him and he fetched a blank CD from his room and recorded an album for Amber. Downloading the finished disc to one of the family computers, he snuck upstairs and borrowed her iPod. Jasper, who hadn't moved an inch from where he'd left him, watched him come in and leave in complete silence, he said nothing. With iPod in hand, he synced the new album onto her playlists, titling it Amber Reflections, and set the iPod to play the album whenever she listened to it next.


	4. Game 1

For Ash (twilight.1): Here's some Jazz/Berry fluff upcoming. See the basketball game sequence, mon amie.

* * *

Chapter Four

When Amber woke up, the sun was halfway up though the light hadn't quite reached her window. As she stretched, she bumped into something behind her. Twisting around, she was surprised to find Jasper with his back to her. She knew he wasn't asleep, but she didn't touch him. Smiling, she slipped from her bed and tiptoed out of the room and down the hall to the vacant bathroom. As she took a shower, she wondered when Edward had finally taken leave last night. After she was refreshed and awake, she dried off, put her pajamas back on, wrapped her hair in a towel, and padded back to her room. Everyone else had started their day hours before, she heard Edward on the piano in the family room, and the most promising smells came out of the kitchen one floor down. Returning to her room, she found it empty. Laid out on the bed was a full, carefully-chosen outfit. She inhaled deeply and arched an eyebrow. No change in the air. Jasper had always been the only person in her room while she took a shower. Shaking her head and knowing Edward was probably chuckling to himself, Amber got dressed for the day in one of the outfits she had purchased with Alice on their first Seattle outing. Today she wore black leggings, matching leather ballet flats, a denim miniskirt that came to just above the knee, a black off-the-shoulder blouse with quarter-length sleeves and it's matching green tanktop. A thick black leather belt with silver studs went around her waist, and the finishing touch was a silver-threaded emerald pointelle shrug with a single oversized button closure. She hooked her shoes and trotted downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Wow, look at you." Esme smirked as she came into the kitchen.

"Thanks. I think Jasper picked it out. Alice never set foot in my room this morning."

"I'm shocked."

"Don't be. _I'm _grateful." she frowned as she sipped at a glass of orange juice.

"We're family, Amber, it's part of the job-description." Carlisle scolded as he wandered in, "Rough night?"

"Eh, at least I didn't have any dreams."

"According to Edward, you had a quiet night once you fell asleep."

"He would know, wouldn't he?" she looked over her shoulder in the direction of the stairs, "Oh well. I suppose I'm grateful any of my cousins care enough to look out for me in my sleep." Her aunt and uncle just traded a knowing look.

"Amber, let's move! We're gonna be late!" Emmett bellowed from downstairs. She rolled her eyes.

"No we're not, Emmett." she called back, "You're just hoping I'll drive!" With Esme and Carlisle laughing in her wake, she headed downstairs and grabbed her backpack and gym-bag.

"Amber, lunch is in your backpack and I washed your uniform last night. It's in your bag!"

"Thanks, Aunt Esme." She checked and found everything right where it should be. Emmett tossed her the keys to the Vantage and she caught them midair, "What is _your _problem?"

"What? I like your car!"

"_I_ don't want to drive it every day." She almost tossed the keys back, but didn't see the point. Trotting past her cousin, she ducked under Edward's arm and out into the garage. Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper were already waiting in Rosalie's M3. She half expected Emmett to join her, but he hopped into the backseat of the M3 instead, and Edward took shotgun in the G37.

"That was random." she frowned as she backed out of the garage, "I thought Emmett would want a ride."

"He likes to see you in a nice car."

"He's weird."

"He's aware of that, too." Edward smirked and hit play on her iPod as they followed the M3. Elaborate piano music drifted from her speakers as they drove and she frowned.

"Okay, I know I have some of your music, but this one's new."

"It's a new album, I added it this morning while you were still asleep."

"You must be the only person I know who stays up all night writing and recording his own music without looking like he slept in a tree the next morning."  
"Comes with the territory. Do you like it?"

"I love it." She smiled and listened. A few tracks into the album, she stumbled across a familiar song. She frowned and listened more closely, sliding her gaze sidelong at her cousin, "I'll be damned. It's my song."

"Maestoso Ambrato." Edward smiled at her, "I thought it might make you happy to hear something familiar."

"Thanks, Eddie." Amber wasn't surprised he'd recorded an entire album just for her, he'd done it in the past. He usually did it when she was feeling a bit out of sorts, she would get CDs in the mail at seemingly random intervals.

* * *

Amber got to school and headed to classes, keeping her appointment with Coach Kirschner at lunch. He had liked last night's performance and was willing to take her on as a player, but until he knew better how she played and where her strengths lay he would keep her as a sixth-man, so she wouldn't get a whole lot of time on the court. Practice would give her plenty of play-time, however, but that was the fun part. Games were stressful, practices were fun. As she left the gym to take a few minutes to eat lunch, a few of the girls from the team caught up with her.

"Hey! U.J.! What'd he say!"

"Oh, hey, Rebekah." She smiled at Rebekah Barker, the current captain of the Lady Spartans, "He wants me, but I don't get to play for a few games because I'm new."

"Aww. I thought you were great last night!"

"Thanks." She smiled, "Have you eaten yet?"

"No."

"Hmm." She came around the corner of the cafeteria. They found an empty table and ate lunch together. When the second bell rang, Alice yanked her out of foot-traffic by the sleeve.

"Didn't I tell ya?"

"Yes, you _did_. How many games?" she wrinkled her nose, not sure how far ahead Alice could see.

"I only saw you benched for three games, and that includes next week's game."

"Nothing beyond that?"

"Nope."

"Rats." She shrugged, "Oh well. Let me know if you see any change."

"Will do. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just can't call Mom _every _day."

"It's not good for you." Jasper chimed in wisely. Amber just blushed as he put one arm around her and kissed her on the temple. Alice just smirked. Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward snickered. The rest of her day was without issue and she went to practice that night. This time it was Jasper who drove her home.

Life fell into a routine that gave Amber a sense of comfort, place, and belonging in Forks. Per Alice's visions, she sat out the first three games of her season with the Lady Spartans, and then Coach Kirschner announced that she was being bumped up to shooting guard because one of the girls had been injured in the last game and would be out for most of the remaining season with a torn ACL. It was a home game, so Amber wasn't worried. She knew the Spartans' basketball court and how to move most effectively on both sides of it.

* * *

While the bleachers began to fill, the Lady Spartans went through a few warm-up drills. If there was one thing Neville and the boys had taught her, it was the utter importance of keeping limber whether you were practicing or not. She kept in condition with the drills from basketball mixed in with drills she had picked up in football. Her footwork gave her the ability to move quickly across the court while keeping possession without holding penalties. It had taken the girls a few practices to get used to her defensive moves, and Coach Kirschner was excited to set her loose on their opponents tonight, since they had never played against the Lady Spartans with Amber on the team and it was unlikely any of them would know what to make of her footwork. _She _was excited. During a break in drills, she heard a yell from the bleachers and turned to see her family about six rows up and right smack center.

"Oh _man_. Did they _all _come?" Rebekah asked as Emmett waved madly and gave a thumbs-up.

"You try getting around Emmett sometime." She smirked, recalling a favorite drill at home, "Not easy."

"I bet your soccer came in handy _there_."  
"Would have, if he wasn't faster than he looked." She pulled the cap off on a water-bottle with her teeth and took a sip, "I just wish Coach would let me practice on the floor."

"You know why he doesn't." Jaime Blaze wiggled her eyebrows, "He doesn't want the Wolverines getting any ideas before we spring you on their unsuspecting backsides."

"And remember, if you can't get the ball to us, just go straight for the shot yourself."  
"Is that legal?"

"Hey, you're a shooting guard, you're allowed to take the basket if you can."

"If you say so." She wasn't sure if that was legal or not, but they'd find out. Finally, the buzzer echoed across the gymnasium and the referee called the starters to the middle of the court for a coin-toss to see who got which side of the court. Heads got left, tails right. The Lady Spartans flipped heads and got the left half of the court. Amber, standing with the other three girls on the court, smirked, "This is gonna be _good_."

"Looks like you get to play with the Wolverines a little earlier than we thought." Jaime whispered as the ref tossed the ball to start the game. Amber trotted up the court in pursuit of the ball, waiting for the opening she knew was coming. Suddenly, one of the Lady Wolverines caught the ball on a pass meant for Rebekah, but left herself wide open for a steal.

"Cullen!" Coach yelled over the roar of the crowd, "Dance out!" She looked over at the bench and nodded. "Dance out" was her trigger, her signal to get that ball and show the Lady Wolverines what happened when you put a soccer star on the basketball court. She bounced twice on her toes and darted out around the two Wolverine defenders, slipped in between one defender and the Wolverine point guard who had the ball, and swiped it before the girl could get up for a jump-shot. Spinning left on her heels, she took off for the other end of the court, keeping the ball and her feet in motion. She literally danced down the court, spinning around the Wolverines until she could see Rebekah, then she popped off a sharp side-shot and skidded away again. Rebekah caught the pass and carried it straight up to the basket. The Spartans fans went absolutely wild while the Wolverines scratched their heads and wondered.

* * *

After that first demonstration, she stuck to blocking and the occasional pass, but stayed well clear of possession. In the second quarter, she sat out for the first half to give another girl game-time, watching wildly as the Lady Spartans seemed destined for victory. Suddenly, in quick succession, one of the girls was knocked down on a pass and the Wolverines scored twice on them. A chant started in the Spartans crowd, and it took Amber a while to figure out what they were chanting. It was actually _two _chants. She hid her face in a towel when she realized what they were chanting, embarrassed for her own sake.

"U.J., U.J., U.J.!"

"Manchester! Manchester!"

"That's you, kid! Get out there and bring us back!" Coach barked, waving her into the game. She traded places with another girl, another shooting guard, and once her feet were on the court the game was on. She'd done this in football once, and hoped to dear god she could do it here when her teammates needed her. Taking possession of the ball from one of her own teammates this time, she set off on her cross-court trek. Deep in Wolverine territory and practically alone except for a few other Spartans, she had the hoop in sight and went in for the shot. She was suddenly blocked by two Wolverines and had to do something she hadn't done in six months.

"Cullen!" Coach shouted, but she was already moving. She didn't have great clearance, but she did have a lot of power in her jump. Amber, feeling the sweat soaking the back of her jersey and causing the ball to slip under her fingers, grit her teeth, baring them in a snarl, and darted between the Wolverines, her feet leaving the ground as soon as she was clear. Her fingers brushed the rim of the basket and she held on for a suspended second, eyes fixed on the tottering ball. As she fell back, the hoop bounced a little and there was a sudden quiet. To her utter amazement and relief, the ball tottered and rolled neatly into the hoop. It never touched the ground, the Wolverines batted it out of possession and tore down the court towards the other hoop. Blood boiling, Amber took off after them and deftly stole the ball back again before they could make another score. She got halfway back to her hoop before she was blocked. She tossed the ball to Rebekah just as one of the Wolverines slammed into her from the side and she went flying. She twisted at an angle to try and catch herself, but that didn't stop her from crashing to the floor. Her head met the most unforgiving resistance of the floor and stars burst in her field of vision, followed swiftly by complete darkness.

* * *

When Amber was knocked out of play by one of the opposing players, it was all Edward could do not to go to his cousin's aid. Amber hadn't even rested when Carlisle was on his feet and moving.

"She's not reviving. Something's wrong." The woman behind them muttered, "She's not getting up."

_Carlisle, what happened?_

_Concussion, but she's alright. She's been through worse than this._

"You have _got _to be joking." Emmett hissed.

"Yousaw what that girl did to Amber!" Rosalie snarled.

"Alice, did you _see _this game?"

"Yes."

"Did you see what happened to Amber?"

"Yes."

"What about the game? Who wins?"

"We do. The Spartans make the Wolverines pay for taking their new favorite out of the game." Alice reassured them in a tight voice. When Amber was helped off the court, both teams cheered. She was taken to the locker-rooms, and when Carlisle looked up to them, Jasper got up and left them without a word. Edward looked at his siblings and smiled.

* * *

Amber was holding her head in both hands and wishing the team physicians would shut up. She had a concussion, plain and simple. It wasn't that complicated. Carlisle had been the one to pick her up off the court once she regained consciousness, the one to lead the way back to the locker-room. Now he was discussing the prognosis with the team doctors and a few from the crowd. Amber's head was killing her, but she grit her teeth and refused to ask for any sort of relief. Suddenly, the door opened and she looked up. Jasper slipped in unnoticed and came over to the table where she sat wishing the world away. His touch worked miracles, his presence alone was a gift.

"Got your bell rung, didn't you?"

"I've been hit harder on the pitch than I was out there." She rubbed her forehead, "I hope they fouled that girl."

"They did, and even the other team's fans got mad."

"Really?"

"Really." Jasper smiled and cradled her face in both hands, kissing her on the forehead, the tip of her nose, and last on the lips.

"Jasper, why don't you take Amber home? She's done enough for one night." Uncle Carlisle called from the cluster of physicians. Amber wasn't complaining. More time with Jasper was never a bad thing. She pulled on the sweats and windbreaker she wore during drills and took her bag from Jasper, who must have gotten it from the benches outside before he came in to find her. They went out the back way and she buckled herself into the passenger's seat of her cousin's Jeep. She'd left the keys to her car with her uncle. When they got home, she took a shower and crawled into bed. It wasn't long before Jasper joined her there, stretching out on top of the blanket but under the comforter. She was sound asleep when the rest of her family arrived home.


	5. Reunions and Brief Departures

Chapter Five

Amber's happiness was short-lived. Around the end of February, her uncle flew England after they received a call that her mother had taken a turn for the worse. He forbade Amber go with him, promising to return as soon as he could. She stayed with her cousins, keeping exclusive company with Jasper. She didn't really want to be around anyone else, and they understood that. It became more and more difficult to concentrate on school activities and Amber was easily distracted. It bothered her that she wasn't allowed to see her mother and say goodbye, but while her cousins were on a weekend hunting trip and she was staying with one of the girls, she remembered. If Uncle Carlisle could do anything, it was ensure that the only thing that would ever kill her mother was a rogue vampire or a werewolf on the hunt with intent to kill the first of the enemy he came across.

It was why her cousins never seemed to get any older while she always grew older and changed as she did: they were vampires that hunted and fed on wildlife rather than on humans, the mythical and literal favorite of the undead that still roamed the earth preying on unsuspecting mortals. Every now and again, her cousins would run into these nomadic vampires, but they usually moved on after a while and never really caused trouble. Amber didn't need any myths or horror-stories, she had the real thing for family and knew better besides. Half of what was in literature was all made up to give humans some inkling of hope. Uncle Carlisle personally loved crucifixes, he liked to look at them. They had a huge iron crucifix hanging in their house, an obvious sign they didn't fear them. And garlic, again a falsehood. Ever since she'd moved in with them, Amber had to admit Aunt Esme had done an awful lot of cooking and used garlic regularly in all forms. Not a problem there. And she'd even coaxed Jasper to go to church with her a few times. They almost always sat in the back of the church, and Jasper never went to communion of course; but if he could go into a church and not be expelled by some supernatural force, then it was all good. That didn't stop people from _staring_, of course, but if you looked at Amber it was clear they were related and therefore the strange looks were usually more curious than hostile.

* * *

Three weeks after her uncle had gone to England, a midnight phone-call dragged Amber out of a hazy dream. She grabbed her cell-phone and answered it without looking.

"Hello?"

"Amber?"

"Uncle Carlisle!" she sat up with a jolt, "Where are you?"

"We're in Ontario, our next flight leaves in fifteen minutes."

"What are you doing in Ontario? Canada?"

"Can you tell Esme?"

"Sure. Sure, no problem. Is Mom there?"

"She's right here. Do you want to talk to her?"

"Can I say hi?" if she could it without crying.

"Sure. Just a minute." Her uncle passed the phone off, and she waited. While she waited, the door to her bedroom opened and Jasper and Edward crept in.

"Berry?"

"Mom! Wow, you sound awesome!"

"And _you _sound tired. I'm sorry we woke you up, sweetie." Her mom sounded more energetic, more lively than she had in a long time. Amber wondered what was going on.

"How do you feel, Mom?"

"I feel so much better, sweetheart, your uncle is a saint."

"Will I see you soon?"

"Don't cry, Berry." Her mother soothed, "I'll be in Forks when you wake up in the morning. Let your cousins take care of you for now, okay?"

"Okay." She sniffled and say goodbye to her uncle before she hung up. Amber looked at her cousins, "What did he do?"

"He saved her life, she wanted him to do it."

"What about Dad and the girls?"

"We had to trick them into thinking she was dead, it was for their own good." Jasper hugged her tightly, "Please don't hate us, Amber."

"_Hate _you? My mom's alive because of your dad!" she threw her arms around Jasper, "And she'll stay that way for a long, long time." Edward stroked her hair, and she eventually fell asleep.

* * *

When she woke up several hours later, Amber remembered her mom's promise and scrambled out of bed, flung open the door of her room, and ran downstairs. Her uncle's Mercedes wasn't back yet, and the anticipation was making her antsy. Instead of pacing in her pajamas, Amber went upstairs and took a shower, getting dressed in an outfit Jasper picked out for her. She was used to that now and it was always interesting to see what he would come up with next. She was pulling hot-curlers out of her hair just as she heard a car pull up in the driveway. Tossing aside the last curlers, she tossed her head and applied a layer of hairspray before running downstairs. She waited nervously with her cousins, and knew in a heartbeat that her mother was no longer among the mortals.

"She's beautiful! Edward, _look _at her!" Amber exhaled slowly, trembling with excitement. Edward pushed her out the front door and she staggered down the steps.

"Amber!"

"Mom!" she threw her arms around her mother, "I don't care what Uncle Carlisle did or what he had to tell Da!"

"Honey, I'm not leaving you again." Her mother promised, hugging her carefully. After they got her mom moved in, Amber called Rebekah and asked if she could spend a few nights with her. Rebekah told her to come on over whenever she was ready and she got help from Alice packing for a week's stay. Her mother understood her reasoning and held nothing against her. It was just too dangerous for her to stay in the house with a Newborn vampire. To her mother, very new to the lifestyle granted her by Uncle Carlisle's timely intervention, she was fair game, fresh prey, the next meal. Until they'd taught her mother the finer points of what Amber called "vegetarian vampirism", she would steer clear of the house but not of her cousins. Jasper promised to visit often and definitely see her at school. Alice told her not to be a stranger.

"I'll try not to be. Take care of Mom for me?" she finished packing her car and stood behind the open door as her cousins gathered to see her off on this short, self-imposed exile from the house.

"Don't worry about your mom, she's a strong woman. This should be _easy_." Emmett said smugly, wearing a matching smirk. Jasper elbowed his inelegant brother and came to the car.

"Carlisle and Esme have already taken her out for her first hunt on unfamiliar territory, just to show her boundaries and where _not _to hunt."

"She'll never hunt alone, will she?"

"Unlikely. We don't function that way, like some smaller covens do. We try to stay together so if there _is _trouble, we can even out whatever odds there might be against us." Jasper smirked and stepped around the open door, "Have fun with your girls."

"I'd have more fun with you, but it's not safe for me to be here until Mom's figured out her new lifestyle." She wrinkled her nose and suspected Jasper would find some way. He kissed her in his usual careful fashion: forehead, nose, lips. It was an odd ritual that she enjoyed greatly. Today, as she was leaving, he added a new spot: the side of her neck, just shy of her pulse. She giggled and wished she could stay. Edward wisely kept his mouth shut, she knew he'd heard _that _loud and clear. When Jasper handed her into the G37, she didn't say anything. He closed the door for her as she keyed the ignition. As she pulled away at last, she felt a tiny pang of homesickness and loneliness. She looked in the rearview mirror and smiled. Her cousins stood lined up on the driveway, waving. She waved back, honked, and left the house behind.


	6. Entri in Bella or Enter Bella

This chapter is the start of Amber's adventures in the familiar world of the movie (the canon I'll be using for the sake of continuity and ease for the remainder of the story, though I may use passages or concepts from the book(s) later on). I introduce Bella Swan in this chapter but do not dwell on her. From now on the story will follow the flow of the movie as closely as possible with obvious deviations, additions, and exceptions.

* * *

Chapter Six

After the initial homecoming, Amber's mom started looking for houses outside of Forks and found a mountain cabin four miles from the Cullens house. It was just a little smaller than their house, but still it was more room than Amber personally thought they needed. After buying the house, an old-fashioned log affair with three bedrooms on two floor plus a loft, they added to the fleet of cars and Amber ended up with _two _cars. She had her Infiniti and a brand new RAV-4 while her mom bought a Lexus SC-430 and a Ford F-150. Her mom also got a job at the hospital as a nurse. Around the middle of March, Amber was no longer the new girl. That privilege went to a transplant from Arizona.

* * *

Amber got her first glimpse of the new girl in her literature class, but refrained from introducing herself. She met the girl's shy gaze and smiled before returning to her reading, though that in itself was redundant as she'd already read the book three times.

"_That's _the chief's daughter." Rebekah whispered, "She just moved here from Arizona."

"Really?" Amber was surprised, the girl looked nothing like someone from a warm state should. She had visited Arizona before with her parents, and the girl looked nothing like the people she'd seen there. Oh well. She met the girl again in her gym class when she accidentally crowned Mike Newton with the volley-ball. Amber winced, knowing that must have hurt, and muffled a giggle when Mike got all tongue-tied. She tugged on Jessica Barton's sleeve, "Come on, Jess."

"She must be so embarrassed!" Jessica whispered. The new girl apologized for hitting Mike, and Amber just smiled.

"That's alright, you didn't mean any harm by it." She tucked the errant ball under one arm and stuck out her free hand, "I'm Amber Cullen."

"Oh, thanks. I'm Bella Swan."

"The new girl from Arizona?" she smiled. Jessica wondered why Bella wasn't more tan if she lived in Arizona.

"I guess that's why they kicked me out." Bella shrugged sheepishly. Amber elbowed Mike in the ribs for snickering. She liked the new girl, personally, especially since that title no longer belonged to her. She didn't see Bella again until lunch.

* * *

Bella Swan, feeling so awkwardly out of place in a school of three hundred and fifty-eight students, sat at a table with a few of the students she'd met over the course of the morning.

"So, how many students go here?" she asked in what she hoped was a casual tone of voice.

"Three hundred and fifty-nine."

"Fifty-nine? I thought it was only fifty-eight!" had she gotten bad information? Jessica giggled.

"No! There's an exchange student!"

"Really?" well, that made her feel better. She looked around the cafeteria in desperate search for anyone who looked remotely out of place. Then, suddenly, the outside doors opened and a small group of students came in.

"Oh, who are _they_?" Bella couldn't help herself. The students were…well, beautiful. They came in pairs or threes. One thing she noticed about them, they all looked the same. A beautiful blonde girl came in on the arm of a broad-shouldered boy with a buzz-cut in the stages of growing out, creating a little fringe. His hair was dark. They both had the same color eyes, Bella wasn't sure if they were gold or topaz. Her table-mates turned, though she suspected they knew already.

"Oh, that's Rosalie and Emmett Cullen." Jessica informed her in a whisper. Bella perked up, recognizing the name.

"Cullen?" Hadn't she met someone named Cullen earlier?

"And that's Edward and Alice." Jessica's neighbor Angela pitched in as another couple came in. Bella thought they were all fascinating, and then she saw _her_. Coming through the door with a handsome, blonde-haired boy who could have been eighteen or nineteen, was Amber Cullen.

"Um, are they _related_?"

"Who?"

"Those two. They're Cullens, right?" she watched the last couple passed among the bustling tables, mesmerized.

"Oh! That's Amber and Jasper! They're together."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Jasper used to be with Alice, but now he's with Amber. It's weird." Jessica shrugged, "They're cousins or something." Bella was horribly confused. It was explained that Jasper, Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward were all siblings, adopted by Doctor Cullen and his wife at an early age and raised thusly. They had moved down from Alaska two years ago, which would explain why she had no memory of seeing them before. Surely she would have remembered them otherwise?

"What about Amber?"

"She just moved here from England a few months ago to live with them. Her mom was real sick, and she couldn't live at home anymore." Angela looked at the strange, beautiful family.

"England! Wow!" Bella was impressed. So Amber was the exchange student? As she watched the Cullens, trying _not _to stare at Edward, Bella couldn't help but notice how touch Amber and Jasper were even in public view. Amber practically sat on Jasper's lap, where she seemed very comfortable. She was also the only one who seemed to _eat_, picking selectively from each of the untouched trays without any hesitation.

* * *

After lunch, Bella had a few classes and then biology. She had _that _class with Edward Cullen, but it didn't go so well. He wouldn't look at her, and even the other students noticed. Mike Newton, who had the class with her, asked if she'd done something to Cullen.

"What'd you do? Stab him with a pencil?"

So that _wasn't _normal behavior. Bella didn't see Edward again until the following week, and she didn't know where he'd gone or if she had anything to do with it. She saw the others all the time. Finally, after three days, she got up the nerve to approach Amber, the least intimidating member of the family. She caught up with the girl just outside the cafeteria.

"Amber!"

"Oh, hello, Bella."

"Where's your cousin?"

"Which one?" the girl smiled, and Bella blushed. She did have five cousins, after all.

"Edward. I haven't seen him since Monday."

"Oh, _him_?" Amber made a face, "Don't worry, he'll be back next week."

"What happened? Did I do something?"

"No, Edward had to go out of town with Doctor Cullen. It's nothing to worry about." Amber smiled, it felt patronizing and Bella didn't like that. But she wasn't brave enough to demand a more concrete answer from the strange British girl.

* * *

Amber kept an eye on Bella Swan, and on her cousin Edward. Things had just startled to calm down and the novelty of the new girl had worn off when everything was momentarily turned upside-down.

* * *

Amber was sitting on the side of Bella's old truck, chatting about their lit homework that night, when she heard a horrible screeching sound. She abandoned her perch for a better look and saw the blue van skidding across the parking-lot. It narrowly missed a car pulling out and careened across the wet pavement. Fear kept her from running, but not from grabbing Bella. Suddenly, they were pushed to the pavement and she heard the screech of tires and crunch of metal. She looked to find the van resting at an angle, a massive dent in the side where it had obviously come into contact with some solid object. She then realized that the only reason she and Bella weren't trapped between the cars was because Edward had gotten in the way and _pushed _the van away from the truck. Terrified students converged on the van and the truck, waving their cell-phones and shouting all at once. Jasper appeared and pulled Amber away from Bella, leading her around the van. They lowered the tail-gate of Bella's truck and when the ambulances arrived she and Bella were sitting on it, trying to convince their worried friends that they really were alright. Amber and Edward rode in one ambulance together while Bella rode in the other, and when they reached the hospital they were met by Uncle Carlisle and by her mother. Amber was given a clean bill of health without any delays, one plus to having family members who worked at the hospital, and found a couch to sprawl on while Uncle Carlisle went to clear Bella for release. The stress had given her a headache, so she lay on the waiting-room couch with her feet propped on the arm and her head resting in Rosalie's lap. Jasper paced nearby, watching her like a hawk. She rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm _fine_, Jasper. It's a headache, not the end of the world."

"Berry…"

"Geeze, do I really look _that _miserable?" she looked up at Rosalie, who nodded. She sighed and pulled the cold-pac down over her eyes. When her headache had subsided enough she could sit up, they left the tiny waiting-room area and went in search of her uncle. Jasper went out to get the car, and Rosalie stayed with her. They found her uncle in quiet conversation with Edward, who was explaining the details of the accident. Edward and Rosalie started arguing over broad consequences for the family as a whole, and Amber pressed one hand to the side of her head.

"Stop it, please. My head still hurts, and you two aren't helping." She closed her eyes, "I didn't even hit my head and it hurts." Just then, it grew very quiet. Amber looked up and saw Bella peeking around the corner. _She _didn't look happy.

"Can I…talk to you a minute?" she said this to Edward, who adopted a stern, sour expression.

"Why don't we take this to my office?" Uncle Carlisle suggested, putting one hand on Rosalie's shoulder. Amber grabbed Edward by the sleeve as he went to talk to Bella and pulled him back. She leaned close to him.

"Edward, whatever you do, _don't _lie to Bella. She's not stupid, and she deserves to be treated better than that."

"I can't tell her the truth!"

"Just don't lie! Please!"

"See if Rosalie can take you home, and don't worry about me."

"I'm not worried about you, idiot, I'm worried about Bella." She grumbled, picking her way to Uncle Carlisle's office and blaming the cold weather and the stress of the accident on the blossoming headache that was rearing it's head. When she got to her uncle's office, Rosalie was waiting to take her home. She lay in the backseat of the Jeep while Rosalie and Jasper sat up front, humming to herself to distract from the headache and from thoughts of what Edward would tell Bella, what half-assed lie he would come up with to cover the truth until Bella got smart enough to figure it out herself. That was bound to be interesting. And messy.

* * *

Okay, that's Chapter Six! First steps into movie-verse! Like it, hate it? Like I said, I didn't dwell much on Bella, but I wasn't about to leave out the van-scare where Edward saved Bella's life. Please R&R. I'll be asking opinions in a few chapters, keep minds open please please please!


	7. Prom Dresses and Death

A/N: Enter the nomads! Here I have a bit more fun with the story-line. More in the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter Seven

A few weeks later, Amber and Bella were invited to go on a daytrip to the beach on the La Push reservation. Amber had to refuse because she had an away game, but Bella decided to go. She knew something was up when, on one of the rare nice days of good weather, a few of the girls proposed dress-shopping for prom.

"Amber, you should come! It would be fun!" Angela turned to her, excited by the prospect of a girls' night out. Amber shook her head quickly.

"No thanks."

"Aw, come on! Why not?"

"I'm not going." Angela and Jessica both looked horrified, Bella just smirked and passed her a carrot-stick.

"What? You _have _to go!" Jessica cried.

"I'm not going because I don't have anyone to go _with _and there's no way I'm going by myself."

"What about your cousin?"

"Oh _please_! I might be able to drag Jasper to church every once in a while, but I don't think I could drag him to Prom." She broke the stick in half and chewed on one half, "You girls enjoy yourselves."

"It'd be more fun if you were going, Amber." They _all _tried to talk her into going, but she politely refrained from making that commitment. Bella was going, and Amber knew _she _didn't have any plans to attend Prom either, but she had volunteered to go along to Port Angeles for advice and such.

"Besides _that_, I have practice."

"Oh." That got them to stop. She couldn't miss practice, she didn't like to if she could help it. So she got out of dress-shopping. Or so she thought.

* * *

The Cullens left for hunting on Thursday, they usually did on their "camping" weekends, and Amber fully expected her mother to go with them as she had the last four times. She was surprised, therefore, to arrive home and find two cars in the driveway. One of them was Jasper's Jeep. She threw the RAV-4 into park and grabbed her stuff. Or tried to. Jasper emerged from the house faster than she could blink, opened the passenger's door, grabbed her stuff, and came around to open _her _door. She frowned at him.

"What are you doing here, Jazz?"

"Keeping you company."

"I don't need company." She got out, taking her backpack from him, "Where's Mom?"

"Inside. Just put your stuff down." Jasper guided her into the house and she went upstairs. She dumped her stuff, grabbed her purse, and went back downstairs. Her mother was already waiting in the Lexus. Jasper stopped her before she went outside and quietly blindfolded her, then leading her by the hand and helping her into the car. He sat with her but said nothing. She asked no questions except to know where they were going.

"Seattle." Her mother informed them matter-of-factly. The drive seemed to take hours since she had no perception of place and only a vague sense of motion. Finally, they stopped, got out, and she let Jasper guide her across a parking-lot and into a cool, noisy place. A department store? She inhaled and knew they were near the perfume counters and make-up counters. But they bypassed those places and she heard the rattle of hangars and rustle of fabrics. The murmur of voices, arguments over colors and style. Jasper guided her past the noises and finally it was quiet.

"Wait here." he murmured, and she heard a door close, "And leave that on."

"Where are we?"

"You'll see." Jasper reassured her. She sat alone for fifteen minutes until the door opened again and she heard her mother come in with Jasper. The blindfold came away and she looked at the some odd dozen dresses that now hung in the dressing-room. She was in a dressing-room. Her mother had gone out again, but Jasper was still there.

"I told you, Jazz, I'm _not _going to Prom." She frowned at the dresses, at her cousin. Jasper kissed her and backed out, "Try on those three first. Just humor her." Then he was gone. She looked at the three dresses he'd pointed out and sighed.

* * *

Amber tried on dresses of every color, style, and cut but nothing appealed to her. They must have visited any number of boutiques, dress-stores, and departments in their long hunt. Jasper had been paying close attention to her emotions as she tried on and discarded each dress and knew by now what she liked and didn't like, what she would wear and what she wouldn't be caught dead in. She was on the verge of tears when Jasper had an idea.

"Let me pick one more, and if you don't like it we'll give up."

"Jazz, we've been here for _hours_, I've tried on dozens of dresses."

"Can you trust me?"

"If you can find a dress you think I'd wear to Prom, more power to you." She covered her face, exhausted and hungry, and let Jasper leave. When he came back, he told her to close her eyes, no peeking. She obeyed and heard him come in. She heard the rustle and clatter of the hanger.

"Stand up." Jasper commanded. Amber got up, keeping her eyes closed. "Raise your arms." He climbed onto the bench behind her after turning her to face a certain direction. She obediently raised her arms over her head and felt the material of the dress slide down her body. The skirt was long, it covered her toes. Jasper came down behind her.

"No peeking."

"I'm not." She had to smile. He fastened the concealed zipper and finally told her she was allowed to look. Amber opened her eyes warily at first and then wider. Jasper had found the perfect dress. It was a simple, sleeveless black number of black satin with a sweetheart neckline Amber could only stare at her reflection in awe.

"Jazz," she whispered, "it's perfect!" Her cousin stood behind her with a triumphant smile, a pleased expression. Amber wished, just briefly, that her mother could see it but knew she would eventually. Her mother had gone home a few hours ago, calling a taxi, so that Amber and Jasper could continue the hunt for the perfect prom dress alone. As Amber changed into her street-clothes and left the changing stall, she felt a sense of liberation. Now she just had to wait a few weeks to wear the damn thing for _one _night and she would be free. Her sigh of relief made Jasper smile. Leaving the mall, he took her out for dinner before driving her home.

* * *

As they neared the police station, she saw Edward's Volvo turn in ahead of them.

"Whoa! Jazz, that's Edward's car!"  
"He followed Bella Swan to Port Angeles. They must have gotten back just now. What's going on?" Jasper slowed down and they watched the bustling parking lot for a moment before pulling in. They pulled in next to Edward's car and got out together.

"Bella! What's going on?" Amber ran around the Jeep.

"I don't know." Bella looked confused, frightened maybe. A moment later, Carlisle emerged from the station. If he was surprised to see so many of them gathered, he didn't show it.

"Carlisle, what's going on?" Jasper asked tensely, holding Amber close. She reached for Bella, out of instinct.

"Waylon Forge was found in a boat out near his place." Carlisle looked at the four of them, his expression almost sad, "I just examined the body."

"He _died_?" Bella was stunned, "How?"

"Animal attack." Carlisle said it so calmly, so matter-of-factly Amber shivered.

"Was it the same one that got that security guard down in Mason?" Amber remembered a similar attack in a different county.

"Most likely." Carlisle looked grim. Jasper hugged her more tightly as Carlisle banished Bella into the station to be with her father, who had been a great friend of the deceased. He passed the three of them and looked at Edward and Jasper, some unheard conversation passing between them. Amber slipped out of her cousin's arms and went into the station. She knew Jasper would wait for her, Carlisle would make him wait.

"Bella!" she trotted around the cubicle-walls.

"Hey, Amber." Bella looked at her sadly.

"Amber, you're as good as family." Chief Swan held something out to her, "Keep this around until we figure out what's killing people."

"Okay." she took the canister of pepper-spray, "If you need any help tracking, I don't think my cousins would mind lending a hand."

"If we need any help like that, I'll make sure I call you first." Swan got up and smiled wanly. Whatever was out there hunting unsuspecting mortals was getting closer to Forks, and Amber didn't want to think of what _might _be out there. Part of her knew, living in a house full of vampires, that is was most likely a rogue. As she followed Bella and her father out of the station, her cell-phone rang. She answered it.

"Mom?"

"Amber, where are you?"

"At the station with Bella. Jasper's going to take me home."

"Did Carlisle send Edward to watch Bella's house?"

"No, do you want me to call him? He's already gone."

"_I _would feel better knowing that house was being watched by friendly eyes." She heard the tension in her mother's voice and gulped. She waved to Bella and Charlie, climbed into the Jeep, and looked at Jasper as they headed home.

"Alright, Mom. I'll call Edward. I'm on my way home right now."

"Tell Jasper thank you from me."

"I will." She hung up and looked at her cousin, "Jazz? Is it rogues?"

"At least one, there may be more. What did your mom say?"

"She wants one of you to watch Bella's house."

"Call Edward."

"That's what I told her I'd do." Amber dialed her cousin's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Edward! It's Amber."  
"Are you on your way home now?"

"Yes, I have a favor to ask."

"For?"

"My mom. She wants someone to watch Bella's house tonight. Would you mind?"

"No. I wouldn't. Are _you _okay?"

"I'm fine, Edward, shaken but I'm fine." She smiled at the worry she heard in her cousin's voice, "Read my thoughts if you have to, but you know better."

"I can't from this distance, so I'll have to take you at your word. Be well, Amber."

"I will be. Look out for Bella." She closed her phone and chewed her lip pensively. When they got home, she collected her things and went inside. Jasper stayed downstairs to explain things to her mother while she went up and got ready for bed. She only slept at all that night because Jasper stayed with her. Amber knew that if she'd been alone that night, she wouldn't have slept at all for fear of nightmares or seeing something outside her window that did not belong.


	8. Entri nei Nomadi or Enter the Nomads

**Here we actually meet the nomads (James, Victoria, and Laurent). We really only meet James and Laurent, and the ballet studio showdown goes just a tad differently. It may be wide of the mark, but I wanted to have some fun with it and took a few creative liberties. I'm allowed. All but Amber and her mother belong to Stephanie Meyer, who is a genius.**

* * *

Chapter Eight

After the death of Waylon Forge, things were a little tense in Forks, but there was one bright spot. Amber watched as Edward finally gave up the ghost and struck up a relationship with Bella. It made her happy to see _him _happy, and Bella was just wondering what Edward saw in her that he _wanted _a relationship at all. But as with all good things, it got worse before it got better.

* * *

Amber had just pulled up to the Cullen's house after a long drive down from Woodinville after an away game, and then the four miles from school to the house when headlights illuminated the interior of her car. She looked in the rearview mirror, confused, and watched as Bella's truck pulled up behind her, followed by Jasper's Jeep. That was weird. She got out, grabbing her stuff from the backseat, and waited.

"What's going on?" She called as they joined her.

"The rogues are in town." Emmett growled as he jumped from the bed of Bella's truck. Amber was suddenly glad she'd been out of town and so had missed the baseball game that evening.

"They found us?"

"And now they're after Bella." Edward huffed as they went inside. Bella looked perfectly miserable. Something had gone very, _very _wrong. As they entered the house, she dumped her stuff by the stairs and as she turned, she froze. Standing two feet away was a tall, dark-skinned vampire with red eyes. One of the rogues. He looked at her, taking in her appearance, and frowned.

"You're a human?"

"My name is Amber." She said hoarsely.

"Laurent, Amber is my niece. She's a member of our family." Carlisle appeared behind the stranger and Amber wondered exactly what was going on.

"Do not let James see her."

"James has no idea she exists, she wasn't at the game." Jasper said harshly. Laurent, the stranger, then warned them about James, whoever _he _was, and vanished into the rainy night. Amber had no idea what was going on, obviously she'd missed something.

"What now?"

"We have to get Bella out of Forks. James will be hunting her." Carlisle looked at Amber, "We'll need your help, too, Amber."

"I can't run as fast as Jasper or Alice. What can I do?" At that moment, Esme and her mother appeared from upstairs. Her mother brandished a pair of boxes. Contacts and hair dye. She looked at Bella and gulped. She knew what they had in mind. Edward gave her some of Bella's clothes and sent her upstairs. By the time they were done, Amber could have passed for Bella's twin sister. They sounded a lot a like, Amber with an accent and Bella without, and so much so that they had confused Charlie a few times when they were together. Never had Amber suspected they would have some _use _for the similarities. Once everything was set and she was dressed, they split up. Jasper and Alice took Bella to Phoenix while Amber ran with Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward, marking trees at intervals to throw off the southward scent by rubbing her shoulder against the bark. Suddenly, Edward ground to a halt. The tracker had turned south and changed direction, he was heading to Phoenix!

"I'm not staying behind! I want to help!" Amber refused to stay behind, even when her mother insisted. So, they set off for Phoenix. Amber drove Jasper's Ducati across four state-lines without stopping. How she avoided getting a speeding ticket she never understood, she was practically flying.

* * *

When she arrived in Phoenix, Amber found out from Jasper where Bella had gone and set off for the ballet studio alone. Getting into the studio was easy, the doors were wide open. She ran into the studio and skidded to a halt. Bella lay on the floor at the mercy of a stranger, a vampire for sure. James. Amber couldn't let anything happen to Bella and sprinted across the floor, knowing what she was about to do was beyond foolish and bound to fail. But James wasn't expecting anyone and she took him from the side as he advanced on Bella. She was thrown off easily, but she rolled and got to her feet, wondering why she wasn't afraid of James. But James wasn't where she'd dropped him. Of course not, vampires could move quickly and it would take a lot more than a suicidal charge from a mortal to stun one of them. A moment later, she went skidding across the floor as James threw her against the wall. The mirrors cracked under her weight but did not shatter. She landed next to Bella, and James advanced on them both with a wicked chuckle.

"Two for one. You didn't say you had a _sister_." He crouched before them and smiled, "Who will avenge _you_, pretty one? Who covets _your _blood?" Amber put both arms around Bella and glared up at James, at the camcorder in one hand.

"Go to _hell_, bastard!" she hissed, spitting.

"Oh, they don't _want _me there." James reached for Bella, but Amber didn't let go. Suddenly, Bella was gone. A cry of pain was cut off short. Amber backed herself against the mirrors and staggered to her feet. Bella lay on the floor, stunned. James had switched focus, now he wanted Amber. She ducked, feinted, and ran across the studio. Something hit her from behind and she went flying. Amber brought her hand up to ward of James' assault, and froze as he caught her hand neatly.

"Amber!" Bella screamed, "Amber! No!"

"Don't worry, darlin'," James crooned, "you'll get your turn." Amber couldn't fight back as he bared her wrist, chuckled, and looked at her again, "It's a shame, really, that there's no one to save _you_. No Edward to avenge your death."

"You won't get out of this alive!" Amber gasped, trying to shield her hand to no avail.

"Watch me." James sneered before he did the deed. Amber's scream was cut off as something slammed into James and carried him across to the far side of the studio. In agony, Amber pulled herself across the floor with one hand, and threw her arm around Bella, shielding the other girl.

* * *

Bella Swan had never been so frightened in her life. First she had faced James alone, and then Amber Cullen had appeared out of nowhere. Amber had saved her life, she realized, as James tossed her around like a rag-doll before settling in on his new prey. If she got out of this in one piece, that would be a miracle. Bella didn't know if it was Jasper or Edward who attacked James, didn't care, and tried to make herself small. Amber crawled over to her and shielded her when a window was broken in the fight between James and one of the brothers. She didn't know which one of them it was. Suddenly, Dr. Cullen was at her side. Amber was tossing and groaning, and Bella didn't know what to do.

"She…she did it to save me! What's happening to her?"

"She was bitten by James, Bella. Stay calm, she doesn't need your panic." Dr. Cullen looked at her sternly and she swallowed hard. Jasper was with them in a heart-beat and Dr. Cullen gave him two options. They could let the change happen, or they could try to suck the venom out of Amber's blood.

"S-stop talking…about me like…I'm not here." Amber stuttered, startling them all.  
"Amber, you're not thinking straight. You're delirious." Jasper said quietly.

"Shut up, Jasper." She coughed, "Don't…stop it." Bella couldn't blame Amber for saying that, she probably would have done the same thing. Dr. Cullen told Edward and the boys to gather the pieces of James and take them out to the desert to burn. Alice and Rosalie came for Bella and Dr. Cullen took Amber. But instead of going back to Forks right away, Bella went to her old house in Phoenix. Rosalie hunted the desert and Alice kept watch while Bella tried to get some sleep. She was sitting out on the front steps the next morning when she heard a car on the street. She looked up and saw her dad's cruiser pull into the driveway. Uh-oh. But when Charlie got out, he didn't look mad.

"Dad?"

"What happened, Bella?"

"I…I don't know. I got mad at the wrong people." She shrugged, "I'm sorry, Dad."

"Bella, if something's wrong, just say something, please? No running away to an empty house."

"Okay." She moved over so he could sit down next to her.

"So…"

"So?"

"You heard from the Cullens lately? The whole family just kind of disappeared."

"I think Edward followed me here, but…" Bella didn't want to talk about it.

"Oh." End of conversation. After a while, Charlie convinced her to get her stuff and leave. It was the second time she'd left Phoenix for Forks, but it wasn't as hard this time.

"Oh, Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell Mom. Please."

"Don't worry, your mother will _never _know about this." Charlie just rolled his eyes. Bella smiled and hoped everything would turn out alright for Amber and the Cullens.

**

* * *

Sorry for the altered shortness and abrupt ending, but it seemed as good a place as any to end the chapter. Major re-editing/reworking of the story is in the works, and the story itself will change a great deal in future chapters. Have patience for the "new" My Cousin, The Vampire as it will be a work-in-progress and most changes/updates will not happen quickly. Thanks!**


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